k. so my pack weighs....almost 50pds. Kate's about 35. Here we are walking off the ferry onto the Idylic Island of Iona. The place the book of Kells was written. The heart of Celtic Christianity and it is pouring. The kids are in the trailer with the cover on. It is passed supper time and our hostel is not the advertised 500 metres, but more like 1.5 km. The last building on the island-literally.
Travelling with kids is hard. The other day we were late and waiting for a bus and the words, 'i gotta poo.' come off the lips of Sim. The choice-40minute bus ride and wet, poopy kid, or miss the bus and get home in the dark? You choose.
I think the thing this trip has taught us is not that travelling with kids is impossible, but rather are you willing to make the sacrifices to slow down, adjust your expectations, and let your kids help dictate the tempo.
We could have said,' it's too hard', but then we wouldn't have gone to Iona, to Taize, or anywhere else. I think what often the limitation is our willingness to suffer, to endure, to do everything possible to make it happen.
What is your limitation?
I was inspired by Notre Dame which took 200 years to build. What if the members of the church said, enough? Or Edinburgh Castle, 1000 years to build all of it? I have been challenged of how short, and weak my effort often is.
Rob, don't leave us in suspense! What did you choose? I think I would have chosen to miss the bus and get home in the dark, but I'm a generation removed from dealing with wet, poopy kids.
ReplyDeleteI was inspired years ago by visiting the Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota. Korczak Ziolkowski started that project knowing it wouldn't be finished in his lifetime. We are so focused on leaving a legacy that our vision often doesn't extend beyond our lifetime-- or even worse, what we vainly think we can accomplish in 5 or 10 years.
Bless you and Kate for doing what you're doing.
Wow guys, as terrifying as that sounds, I must admit, I envy your courage at attempting such a trip. Even though, you're running into roadblocks and trials, I'm sure it's the trip of a lifetime.
ReplyDeleteGod Speed, and Blessings!